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" Today I want to send a message of optismism to all Greeks. Our road, our path, will be more stabilised. Our country will be in a better situation. We will be stronger. "
George Papandreou
Path
Today
Situation
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" Despite the deep reforms we are making, traders and speculators have forced interest rates on Greek bonds to record highs. "
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" The structures in Europe in a globalising economy need to be modernised, need to be more integrated, need to be stronger. "
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" If Greece had gone through a very normal political life, I may have not been in politics. But just the fact that I lived through huge upheavals and very difficult struggles and polarization and the barbarism of dictatorships - that made me feel that we had to change this country. "
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" In ancient Greece, politics and the market were not decoupled. "
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" People would say you look weak if you're not cursing the opposition and driving around in a big black car while always wearing a tie. Above all, to be 'strong' you're always supposed to be giving orders. "
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" Greece's history in the drachma was an up-and-down history, a roller coaster. "
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" Countries are not like financial markets. Social change cannot be executed as swiftly as credit-default swaps. You cannot sell short on social commitments and practical responsibilities. "
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" I would say we are a friend in need and I am sure that the Greek people would very much welcome the choice of the British people to come and enjoy Greece, first of all, but also that would be a sign of support. "
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" Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises. Our political system promotes nepotism and wasting money. This has undermined our legal system and confidence in the functioning of the state. One of the consequences is that many citizens don't pay their taxes. "
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Political
Money
Government
" Politics also means educating people. It's important to speak openly with our fellow Greeks, to tell them what our problems are and that we have to change something. "
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Problems
Tell
Change
" Many people have been pontificating, and patronizing, and moralizing, and scapegoating, saying you Greeks, you are the problem. I would say we Greeks have a problem. We are not the problem. "
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Problem
People
Been
" I think there is a heritage which I'm proud of, which is a fight for democracy, a fight for social justice, a fight for freedom. My grandfather went to jail or exile six times in his life, fighting for his principles for democracy, or for his country. And my father twice. "
George Papandreou
Life
Freedom
Fight
" The Marshall Plan was after destruction, and the U.S. came to our help and obviously this was very, very important for the future of Europe. I think now we have all the capabilities of doing it on our own and, in a sense, we have to. "
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Important
Think
Doing
" The real problem in Greece is not cutting taxes, it's making sure that we don't have tax evasion. "
George Papandreou
Tax
Real
Taxes
" The unemployed in Greece can get a voucher and choose a training program somewhere in Europe to be retrained during this crisis and when this crisis is over, we make sure that that person hasn't fallen off the cliff and can come back into the labor market with new skills to find a job. "
George Papandreou
Choose
New
Skills
" We Greeks want change. We know there are problems in our system. We have great potential but we need to manage our country well. Now that hasn't been done over the last decades. And that is, of course, what we are paying for. "
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Potential
Know
Great
" We're very proud to be part of the eurozone. But this comes with obligations and it is crucial we show the world we can live up to those obligations. "
George Papandreou
Show
Proud
World
" I would like to see Greece as a case study, an opportunity for Europe to strengthen its coordination of fiscal policy. "
George Papandreou
Like
Opportunity
Study
" At times of distress, we all like to recall the advice of fathers and mothers. The best advice my father gave me was to keep faith and deep confidence in the potential of the Greek people; nurture the belief that they can do things. "
George Papandreou
Best
Confidence
Faith
" If we had a consensus we wouldn't have to go to a referendum. "
George Papandreou
Consensus
Referendum
Had
" We had about 60 regions in Greece and now there are only 13. It'd be like cutting down 50 states to 13 and making it more efficient. "
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Now
Only
Down
" First of all, Greece won't go down. We're talking about a country that is capable of making change. Europe will not allow the destabilization of the 27-country euro zone. But if there were no action, then markets would start becoming jittery about other countries - and not only Spain and Portugal, but other countries in the European Union. "
George Papandreou
Start
Action
Country
" Europe has a lot of strength. We need to pool that strength, and I am very much in favour of that - more of a deeper political union. "
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Need
I Am
Political
" We have a rise of extremism because we need to give a sense that we are targeting some of the deeper problems in Greece, the injustices. "
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Problems
Greece
Sense
" I have a deep sense of responsibility to my country and Greek people. "
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People
Country
Deep
" How can a parliamentarian or a leader in a country say, on the one hand, that we're going to support Greece but at the same time say that Greeks are lazy? "
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Country
Support
Time
" There are certain moments in the history of a nation when the choices made define the decades to come. "
George Papandreou
Choices
Nation
Moments
" The Greek people do not want to exit the euro. And I believe the Greek people already have shown that they have made major sacrifices to stay in the euro zone. "
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Exit
I Believe
People
" I am proud of being a Greek of the diaspora. "
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Am
Being
Greek
" I never thought about becoming a politician. But during the military dictatorship, my grandfather was put in prison six times and my father twice. If my family and my country didn't have this history, I might be a professor somewhere today. "
George Papandreou
Family
Today
Father